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3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

R. L. FROST. CONDENSER- FOR STEAM PUMPS.

Patented June 10, 1890.

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lif i l hw lll m wil 1 Hu (No Model.\ 3 Sheets--Sheet 2.

R. L. FROST.

CONDENSER FOR STEAM PUMPS.

No. 429,808. 'Patented June 10, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD L. FROST, CF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIONMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CONDENSER FOR STEAM-PUMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,808, dated June 10,1890.

Application filed December 2, 1889. Serial No. 332,845. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD L. Fnos'r, a citizen of the United States,residing at Battle Creek, county of Calhoun, State of Michigan, haveinvented a new and useful Condenser for Steam-Pumps, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to condensers for steam-pumps, from whichcondenser suitable ports communicate with an exhaust-chamber,water-supply chamber, and water-delivery chamber of the pump and withthe open air.

The main object of this invention consists in the construction of acondenser in which a valve is employed, which is automatically woperatedby the water ,flowing through said condenser, whereby among other pointsof utility no manual action of the engineer is necessary to govern saidcondenser, and said engineer is enabled to know whether or not the pumpis performing its normal function, as will be more clearly explainedbelow.

In the drawings forminga part of this specification, Figure 1 is asectional elevation of the pump. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the pump withthe condenser removed and turned back against the pump, showing thesurface of the condenser which fits against the pump when said pump andcondenser are attached together in operative condition. Fig. 3 is anelevation of the condenser, showing the reverse side of Fig. 4. Fig. 4is an elevation showing the reverse side of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a verticalsection of the condenser, taken on line 4 4 in Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a planView of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a section taken on lined 6 in Fig. (3, lookingfrom a point above. Fig. 8 is the same, illustrating the operation ofthe valve. 7

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 5 5 in Fig. 6, looking froma point atthe right; and Fig. 10 is an elevation of a modified construction of thevalve, parts being in longitudinal section, said valve being moreparticularly described below.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a steam-pump, substantially ofthe ordinary construction, having the exhaust-chamber 2, thewater-supply chamber 4, the water-delivery chamber 3, and water-supplypipe WV.

In Fig. 2 is shown the condenser 12 detached and turned back, disclosingthe port-openings, which register with like port-openings in the pump,as will hereinafter appear. The port-opening F of the condenserregisters with the port-opening F of the pump, and port-opening P of theformer registers with the port-opening P of the latter, and theportopening S of said condenser registers with the port-opening S ofsaid pump. The dotted ports F, S, and P in Fig. 1 merely indicate theposition of the ports pointed out by like ports F, S, and P in Fig. 2.

The condenser is illustrated by various views in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,and 9.

The condenser is internally chambered, and in said chamber is placed theautomatic valve A. This valve has an enlarged head 7, which checks thebackwater from the boiler through pipe B, Fig. 5, and an annular port i,through which the water flows from the induction water-port F to thedelivery-chamber 3 of the pump, Fig. 1, said induction-port being alsoshown in Figs. 2, 4, 7, 8, and 9 by F, and at the point of entrance intothe water-delivery chamber in Fig. 1 at F, as hereinbefore stated. Saidannular port ialso registers with the airescape port through pipe C intothe open air, for the purpose hereinafter described. Said valve A alsohas an annular port 5, through which the exhaust-steam passes from portP on through pipe D into the openair, as shown in Fig. 5, when the pumpis not supplying water into the boiler through port F from port F inFigs. 1 and 2, and when the valve A is raised, as in Fig. 8, and theboiler is being supplied with water, the exhauststeam passes throughport R and past the check-valve T and on through the passage S, Figs. 7and 9, and on into the water-supply chamber 4 through port S, Figs. 1and 2, where said steam is condensed. Returning to Fig. 8, the valveA isshown in the position it occupies when theintlowing water from thedelivery-chamber 3 has overcome the pressure of the backwater upon theupper surface of the valve-head 7. When the inflowing water has overcomesaid pressure upon the valve-head, the water flows 011 past said headand through pipe B and supplies the boiler. The valve thus rises andfalls and fluctuates between the extreme lower and upper limits of itsmovements, according to the relative relation of the pressure of theinflowing water as compared with the pressure of the backwater from theboiler against the head 7 of the valve A. By this arrangement it will beobserved that when the pump is supplying water to the boiler and thevalve raised, as in Fig. 8, there is no exhaust of steam through pipe Dinto the open air, because the valve, after having been raised, closesthe port leading into said pipe D. Hence the engineer knows that thepump is performing its normal functions. On the other hand, referring toFig. 5, in which the valve A is not 'aised, and hence no water ispassing into the boiler, and the steam is exhausting through pipe D, theengineer will know by this condition of facts that the pump is notworking.

In some constructions the valve A might find its normal position whenthe pump is at rest or before the intiowing water has raised the valveby gravity; but, owing to the Eric tion of the stufling-box 8 againstthe upper stem of the valve A in perhaps the majority of cases, a springE, having a downward pressure on the valve, would be necessary. I haveillustrated said spring in Figs. 5, 7, and 8.

Referring to Fig. 5, the port leading through pipe 0 from the interiorof the condenser V into the open air is to allow an escape of the airwhich would be forced into the condenser beneath the valve-head 7 by thepump. If this accumulation of air did not escape, it would retard or atleast disturb the desired flow of the water through port F into thecondenser from the water-supply chamber 3, and thus prevent a prompt andsuccessful. operation of the pump.

In Fig. 10 is shown a modification of the valve A. The stem of the valveand the head 7 are integral with each other and separate from the lowerpart of the valve, and said stem is provided with a longitudinal hole,through which loosely passes the rod (1, said rod being attached to saidlower part of the valve. The rod a has a threaded portion 8 near theupper end, and above said threaded portion is a shoulder 9, and betweensaid shoulder and the upper end of the valvestem is aninternally-threaded thumb-screw e, loose on said rod to. The dottedportion of the stem and head shown in Fig. 10 shows the valve in thecondition shown in Fig. 5, and the two parts of the valve are rigidlyheld in said condition by the engagement of the internal threads of thethumb-screw c with the exterior threads 8 of the rod (1. By disengagingsaid thumb-screw from the threads S ot the red at the upper portion ofthe valve will be raised by the water without any movement of the lowerportion of the valve. The object of this is to allow a rise of the valvehead, in order to permit a flow of the water into the boiler, while theexhaust-portage of the steam into the air is left open. One of thenecessities for this which might occur is that the exhaustion of steammight be too great in proportion to the amount of water entering thesupply-chamber i of the pump, said adjustment of the valve being made bythe engineer whenever the occasion demands.

Vhile the pump shown in Fig. 1 is described as having a steam-exhaustchamber 2, and my condenser is, as shown, adapted to coaet with the pumphaving said chamber, it will appear obvious that my condenser may beused with a pump in which no such chant ber appears, in which case theexhaust-steam would pass directly from the exhaust port 10 of the pump,Fig. 1, into the exhaust-port P of the condenser.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The condenser, in combination with a steam-pump, said condenser andpump having suitable communicating water-ports and steam-ports, and anautomatic valve in said condenser constructed to coaet with said ports,all in the manner and for the objects substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a steam-pump having a water-supply chamber, awater-delivery chamber, and an exhaust-steam chamber, of a condenser,suitable water-ports and steamports communicating with said condenserand pump, and a valve in said condenser provided with annular ports andadapted to be automatically operated by the infiowing water,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a steam-pump, a condenser, suitable water-portsand steam-ports communicating with said pump and condenser, the valve insaid condenserautomatically operated by the action of the water, and aspring forming a resistance against the rise of said valve,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a steam water-pump, said pump having aWater-supply chamber and a water-delivery chamber, and a condenser, saidcondenser having a steam-exhaust port into the open air and asteamexhaust port leading from the water-supply chamber, a water-supplyport leading from the water delivery chamber through the Water-supplypipe into the boiler, and a valve in said condenser having annular portscoaeting with said water-ports and steam-ports and adapted to beautomatically operated by the water flowing through the condenser,substantially as set forth.

5. A condenser for steam-pumps employin g a valve automatically operatedby the action. of the water flowing through the condenser, saidcondenser being provided with an air-escape port, in combination withthe water-supply-port, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name inpresence of two witnesses.

RICHARD L. FROST.

Witnesses:

N ELSON E. I IUBBARD, HENRY II. HUBBARD.

ICC

